A77 Mounting on a pedestal guard

[rdavidschm]

I have a sailboat with a wheel and pedestal and pedestal guard. I have the A77 multifunction device and the Ev100 autopilot. Am considering mounting options.

Best way may be a replacement pedestal guard (58" and bent vs the 45" straight one I have now) with an Edson instrument pod. This is breaking my budget though. I'm looking at a more cost effective approach - the ram mount. This approach however leaves the instrument to the weather elements as it is not encased in a pod. Is the A77 built to withstand the elements in a setup like this?

When not underway I'll leave a cover over it but if underway while it is raining it is likely to be exposed to wet conditions even though I have a Bimini cover that is usually in place. Please advise.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum rdavidschm,

Q1. Is the A77 built to withstand the elements in a setup like this?
A1. Yes. The primary advantages of pod installation are aesthetics, security, and reduced chance of snagging power and communications cables. However, please note that the a-Series MFDs feature touchscreen-only user interfaces. Should the product regularly be operated under exposure to weather, then you may want to consider an eS75 or eS78 MFD as it has a HybridTouch user interface (i.e. both buttons and touchscreen). Wet conditions can sometimes impair interaction with a touchscreen.